About the Common Cold Frequently Caught in Winter

What is the common cold? There is no one who has never caught a cold in their lifetime. On average, adults catch a cold about 2–3 times a year, and children catch it about 6–8 times a year.

The common cold (acute pharyngitis) is an acute upper respiratory tract infection caused by various pathogens, including viruses. It is a very common condition that interferes with social and daily life, such as absences from work and school, and it is a major cause of increased medical expenses, which exceed 2 trillion won per year.

In Korean medicine, the common cold is called gammo, and it is also referred to as sangpung and sanghan, which contain the meanings of wind and cold. It occurs when gi, the body's external defense function, becomes weakened and evil qi (unfavorable energy from outside) invades.

The onset of the common cold The course of a cold begins after a virus is transmitted from the outside or from another person and enters the body. Symptoms begin to appear after 12–72 hours. The exact process by which symptoms develop is not yet fully known. It is thought that after viral invasion, symptoms arise through damage to the respiratory epithelial cells and through various chemical mediators and the autonomic nervous system. In most patients with a cold, damage to the mucosa inside the nasal cavity is not found. In exceptional cases caused by influenza viruses or adenoviruses, severe damage to the respiratory epithelial cells occurs.

The course of the common cold In most cases, it naturally heals over time, but secondary bacterial infection may occur due to an increase in the normal flora of the upper respiratory tract or a shift to other bacteria, decreased removal of secretions, and blockage of the sinus openings and the openings of the eustachian tube.

Types of the common cold Conditions with symptoms similar to a cold include acute pharyngitis, acute laryngitis, the flu (influenza), acute bronchitis, and acute sinusitis, and some of these may have overlapping symptoms. *Upper respiratory tract: refers to the area from the nasal cavity to the larynx.

The nasal cavity is the inside of the nose, divided into left and right sides by the nasal septum, and it is the first gateway through which air is carried to the lungs. As air passes through the nasal cavity, its temperature and humidity become the same as those of the body. The oral cavity helps us chew food and speak.

The pharynx is a common part of both the respiratory system, through which air enters and leaves, and the digestive system, through which food passes into the esophagus. It is divided into the nasopharynx, the upper part behind the soft palate, and the oropharynx, the back part of the tongue. It contains lymphatic tissue, including the tonsils, and when inflamed, it is a site that causes pain when swallowing saliva or food.

The larynx is the part extending from the entrance of the esophagus to the vocal cords and cannot be observed with the naked eye. If there is inflammation here, the voice becomes hoarse, and in infants it can also cause difficulty breathing.

So far, I have explained the common cold that is often caught in winter. In the next part, we will take a closer look at the causes of the common cold.

Source: National Health Information Portal, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency